Traction table



P 23, 1954 w. w. DAUGHTRY 2,690,175

TRACTION TABLE Filed Nov. 8, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEY W////am l/V. Doug/7 fry Sept. 28, 1954 w w; DAUGHTRY 2,690,175

TRACTION TABLE Filed Nov. 8, 1952 2 Shets-Sheet 2 W////am l/l/.flaug/nry INVENTOR.

WmHoaJ w A TTORNE Y Patented Sept. 28, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICETRACTION TABLE William W. Daughtry, Houston, Tex.

Application November 8, 1952, Serial No. 319,516

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a traction table for receiving a.patient thereon and applying a tension to the body of the patient. Invarious medical treatments used under present day practice, it may benecessary or desirable to place all or a portion of the body of apatient under tension. The amount of tension or treatment will vary frompatient to patient and it is, therefore, desirable to provide anadjustment table which is readily adaptable to apply varying degrees oftraction.

The present invention is directed to :a table for placing the body of apatient under tension, which invention is provided with means forvaryingthe degree of tension and for varying the number of times that the bodyis placed under such tension over a desired time interval.

Another object of the invention is to provide a treatment table forreceiving a patient, which table is provided with a plurality .ofmovablesections to conform to the body contour of the patient being treated.

Still another object of the invention is to pro vide a treatment tablefor receiving a patient and applying the tension to the body .of suchpatient, which table is provided with a plurality of movable sections,one of such sections being reciprocal in a horizontal plane for applyinga desired amount of tension to the patients body and then releasing suchtension a predetermined number of times within a definite time interval.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparentfrom a consideration of the following description and drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of the inventionwith the straps for fitting around the body of the patient shown indotted line;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view showing the arrangementof the movable sections of the table and a preferred means for movingand for varying the movement of that section of the table which ismovable in a horizontal plane;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view showing theinvention with the horizontal reciprocal section in .extended position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view showing themanner of adjustment so as to vary the amount of tension or travel ofthe horizontally movable section;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of theinvention; and

2 Fig. 6 is .a longitudinal vertical sectional view of that form of theinvention shown in Fig. .5.

The invention is illustrated generally at 2 in Fig. 1 and is shown ascomprising a table 3 having a top portion 4 to which is connected legs 5depending downwardy therefrom. If desired a suitable covering .6 may beplaced on the sides 7 and ends 8 to cover the operating mechanism and topresent a neat looking appearance. Mounted on the top portion 4 are aplurality .of movable sections 9 and [0, with an additional movablesection II being provided in that form of the invention shown in Figs. 5and 6.

The section I3 of that form .of the invention shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4may be permanently .secured to the top portion 4 of the table by anysuitable means such as bolts or the like (not shown). The section I0 isarranged to reciprocate back and forth in a horizontal plane on the topportion 4 of the table. To accommodate such sliding action suitablebearings 15 may be provided in the top portion 4 upon which the nethersurface l6 of the portion L0 rides. A suitable guideway or track (notshown) is provided to guide section I 0 during its reciprocatingmovement and to prevent tilting thereof out of the horizontal plane.

A spring i1 is shown as being connected at 18 to the stationary section13 of the table 2, with the other end of such spring being connected atl9 to the forward portion 20 of the reciprocal section IU. The spring I!tends to maintain the section I 0 in that position illustrated in Fig.2, and when the section III is moved away from the stationary section I3as shown in Fig. 3, such spring is placed under a tension which tends toreturn the section l0 to its normal position as shown in Fig. 2.

A power source 20 is provided, the shaft of which is connectedto gearreduction box 2!, which in turn has a shaft 22 on which is connected thecrank end 23. A cable 24 is connected to the section I10 at 25 adjacentthe spring connection 1| 9, such cable extending longitudinally of thereciprocating section and extending over the .support means 26 andthence forwardly where it is connected by any suitable means such asshown at 21 to the crank end 23 on the rotatable shaft 22.

From the foregoing it can be seen that as the shaft 22 is rotated thecable 24 is drawn taut as shown in Fig. 3, the arrangement of the cablebeing such that a force is applied to the table section l0 so as to moveit in a direction opposed to the pulling force of the spring I1. As

the crank end 23 continues its rotation and returns to its initialposition shown in Fig. 2, the table section iii is also returned to suchposition due to the pulling force of the spring H.

The section 9 is pivotally connected at 39 to act as a head rest for thebody of the patient and if desired may be moved upwardly out of theplane of the table as illustrated in dotted line at iii. A crank 33 anda gear train 3 moves rod which rod is pivotally connected at 36 to thesection so as to either raise or lower such section. A suitable catch(not shown) for re taining the section 9 in any desired position may beprovided.

In some instances it may be desirable to vary the amount of travel ofthe horizontally movable section if] and to this end the arrangement 31is provided which is connected to the cable support it. The arrangement31 includes the bell crani; 38 which is mounted on rod 39, such rodbeing secured to said table. An adjustment cable iii extends from thelower end i! of the bell crank to the operator 2. The operator 42consists of a shaft having a handle it on the outside of the table, therod 133 being provided with notches 55 for engagement with a catch orlatch within the housing By exerting a pull on the handle M andconnected rod t3 the bell crank it is pivoted about shaft 353 by meansof the cable it. Movement of the bell crank adjusts the position of thecable support 26 as shown in Fig. l and takes up the slack in cablewhereupon rotation of the crank 23 moves the section it a greater distance than that illustrated in Fig. 2 where the bell crank tilt is shownas being in a position to provide slack 5G in the cable M. A suitablebutton E! in the handle dd may be provided to disengage the catch fromthe notches in the shaft 43, such construction being similar, forexample, to the emergency brake release used on automobiles.

The section ii illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 is pivotally connected at 69to stationary section it and is mounted over cut-away portion 6! in thesides l of the table so that it can swing downwardly out of thehorizontal plane of the table to accommodate a patients anatomy, forexample, as when the patient is reclining on the table on his stomach.The spring ll is connected to the downwardly swingable portion H in thatform of the invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and not only acts to returnthe reciprocal section It to its normal position but also tends toreturn the section i i up to the normal horizontal plane when thepressure due to the anatomy of the patient is removed. therefrom.

While it is believed that the operation of the invention is apparent byreason of the foregoing, to further illustrate and amplify it will beassumed that a patient is reclining on the table as illustrated in Fig.2. Straps '65 are provided for engagement about the waist of the patientand straps 66 are provided for engagement about the shoulders and underthe arm pits of the patient. The head rest 9 is adjusted to make thepatient comfortable and power is supplied to the motor 20 so as toreciprocate the section Hi. It can be readily appreciated that a tensionis thereby applied to the patients body from the waist to the shoulders.If it is desired to remove the straps 66 and apply a different tensionsuch as, for example, from the waist to the chin of the patient, a chinstrap 61 is provided for securing and holding the chin of the patient.If desired the straps may be shortened to engage about the ankles of apatient for applying a tension to the patients body from the angles toeither the chin or the shoulders.

It seems obvious that other arrangements of straps can be provided toobtain the desired treatment without departing from the scope of theinvention. Also it should be noted that the gear box 2i may be of thetype so that the gear ratio therein may be changed so as to change thespeed of rotation of the shaft 22. This would in effect vary the numberof reciprocations of the section l0 within a given time interval. Alsothe degree of tension may be varied by positioning the bell crank 38 andconnected cable support it at any desired position as previouslydescribed herein.

From the foregoing description it is believed apparent that the presentinvention provides a traction table construction which is relativelysimple in construction yet flexible in that it ailows a wide range ofadjustments depending upon the needs of the patient.

Broadly the invention relates to a traction table construction and moreparticularly to a traction table construction of simple design and whichis provided with a plurality of movable sections for accommodating thebody of a patient thereon.

What is claimed is:

A traction table for applying a tension to the body of a patientcomprising, a support table having a top portion and legs dependingdownwardly therefrom, a plurality of movably mounted sections supportedon said top portion of said table and adapted to receive a patientthereon, the first of said movable sections being movable only in ahorizontal plane, another of said sections being movable up and out ofthe horizontal planeof said table and a third section pivotally mountedto swing downwardly into the plane of said table, and means forreciprocating said first section in a horizontal plane, said meansincluding spring means connected to said first section and to said tabletending to restrain said section against reciprocating movement, arotatable shaft mounted on said table below said top portion, a cablesup port mounted on said table under said first section and spaced fromthe point of connecting said spring to said first section, and cablemeans connected to said first section adjacent said spring connectingand extending longitudinally and below said first section, around saidcable support and extending forwardly for connection to said rotatableshaft whereby rotation of said shaft moves said cable and exerts a pullon said first section in a direction opposite to the pull exerted bysaid spring whereby said section is moved by cable movement and thenreturned to its initial position by said spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,205,649 Miller Nov. 21, 1916 2,243,013 Morey et al May 20,19%]. 2,262,271 De Camp Nov. 11, 1941 2,579,783 Branto Dec. 25, 1951

